Rail-joint.



W. A. STEPHENSON.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9,1915.

1,172,1 77 Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

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W. A. STEPHENSON.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, 1915.

1 1 72, l 77 Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

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. RAIL-JGINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

J Application filed July 9,1915. Serial No. 38,953.

To all whom it may concern son, a citizen of the United States, residing. at Estelline, in the county of Hall and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Tm provements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of rails, and particularly to means for connecting the meeting ends of the rails so as to maintain the same in positive alinement and prevent the lateral or vertical movement thereof, but at the same time permit of the desired amount of longitudinal movement required in the expansion and contraction of the rails.

Another object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which will embody the desirable "features of simplicity, cheapness to manufacture, and accuracy and surety in operation.

Vvith the above and other objects in view, the improvement resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and talling within the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawings: Figure l is a top plan view illustrating two rails constructed and connected in accordance with the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is a transverse section approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a similar section approximately on the line of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the connecting member or joint plate, and

Fi 6 is a 'Jers )ective view of one of the rail ends.

In reducing my improvement to practice, I propose to connect the ends of the rails without the employment of fish plates, nuts and bolts and analogous securing devices, and I also propose to construct the ends 01''? the rails so that the same will be in no wise weakened but will be of a strength as great, if not greater, than the body of the rails.

1n the drawings the rails are indicated by the numerals 1, each of the same having its body of the usual construction but each of the rails for a suitable distance from its end is widened or thickened. The thickened portion upon the inner faces of the rails is formed on the web of the said rail, so that the side of the web is flush with the side of the head, the said sides being indicated by the numerals 2, and it will be noted that the angular base flange projects a suitable disis preferably round in cross section.

tance beyond the said side. The opposite or outer side of each of the rails, which is indicated by the numeral 3 is gradually inclined downwardly from the head, as inclicated by the numerals a and if desired, the side 3 may be bulged or curved so that the base flange at the said side projects a dis tance approximately equaling the distance of the base flange upon the side 2. The bulging or curving of the outer side 3 is not an absolute necessity, but in the construction of the rails such arrangement may aid in the manufacture thereof, and therefore the "same has been so illustrated in the drawings.

The rails 1 are provided with longitudinally extending slots 5, t 1e same providing lower parallel walls and an upper preferably rounded wall so that each of the said slots is in the nature of a key hole slot.

The rail plate, indicated by the numeral 7, is of a desired length and of a width materially greater than the width of the base flange of the rails, This plate 7 is centrally formed with a longitudinally extending vertically projecting rib 8, the same being formed with a head 9, and the head The plate at the opposite sides of the centrally disposed rib 8 is formed with vertically projecting enlargements or flanges 10-10, the same being of a length preferably corresponding with the length of the rib 8, and the inner faces of said flanges 10 are beveled inwardly, as indicated by the numerals 11, and these beveled walls correspond to the inclination of the base flange of the rails at the widened ends of the said rails. The rail plate 7, adjacent its ends, is provided with spaced spikes 1212 arranged in pairs, and spaced to contact with the opposite edges of the base flanges of the rails to direct the said rails into engaging position with the headed rib 8 so that the substantially key hole slots 5 in the ends of the said rails will snugly receive the rib 8 and the head 9 thereof. The key hole slots 5 are of a depth approximately equaling one-half of the length of the rib so that the rails will contact when they are forced from opposite directions over the rail plate into engagement with the ribs and to have their flanges contacted by the inner walls 11 of the flanges 10-1O of the plate, and it will be noted that no additional securing means are required for retaining the rails upon the plate. The plate, between the guide spikes 1212 are formed with openings 13-13 arranged one each side of each of the rails, and spikes 14; are passed through these openings and enter the ties 15 upon which the plate rests.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the simplicity of the device, as well as the advantages thereof will, it is thought, be perfectly apparent to those skilled in the art to which such invention appertains without further detailed description.

Having thus described the invention, What I claim is: a

The herein described construction of rails, and means for connecting the rails, each of said rails having its end widened so that its web, upon its inner face, is flush with the side of its head, the outer face being inclined from the head and bulged at the base flange thereof, said rails being formed with longitudinally extending key hole slots, a plate upon which the rails rest, said plate having a key-shaped rib, the plate having flanges disposed opposite the rib and the inner edges of the flanges beingbeveled,

r guides upon the plate to direct the same -,1nto engagement with the lnchned edges WILLIAM A. STEPHENSON.

itnesses: r 7

WILLIAM A. BRANSOM, WILLIAM M. Gannon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. t V 

